


Keeping Score

by tonkssweeney



Series: Make or Break [2]
Category: Hanson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Law Enforcement, Alternate Universe - No Band, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Dubious Consent, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Recovery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-01-26 17:23:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21377776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonkssweeney/pseuds/tonkssweeney
Summary: Set two months after the events ofMake Or Break. I highly recommend reading that part first. :)
Relationships: Taylor Hanson/Zac Hanson
Series: Make or Break [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693951
Comments: 9
Kudos: 3





	1. Too Proud to Beg

**Author's Note:**

  * For [boomersoonerash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/gifts).

In the two months since Zac was shot in the line of duty, not much had changed with his and Taylor's living arrangements. For all intents and purposes, Taylor had unofficially moved into Zac's house despite the fact that he still had his apartment, only visiting to gather new clothes or to switch out his camera for a different model.

It wasn't shocking to Zac that Taylor was an amazing caretaker, but he wondered what he did to deserve such an amazing man. In the first weeks of his injury he helped Zac with daily tasks like showering, getting dressed, and walking around the house. As the weeks went by and Zac began physical therapy, Taylor was there without fail to drop him off and pick him up from every appointment. Zac wondered how Taylor was able to manage a full time job at the studio yet still be at his every beck and call pretty much all the time. He could only assume that his boss was flexible with him because he was a great employee.

Mentally, Zac was restless. He'd read every book that Sarah brought to him - a new one each week - scouring through those like a starved man, but it wasn't enough to keep his mind occupied. When Taylor wasn't home, Zac would sit on the couch, Hooch on one side and Laila on the other, feeling downright bad for himself. His doctor had advised him to see a therapist just to talk things out, saying that his feelings were completely normal, but that it never hurt to talk to a licensed professional.

For Zac, recovery wasn't coming fast enough. He missed the thrill of going to the gym every morning and walking around the farmer's market hand in hand with Taylor, but above all, he missed his job. Being shot while on duty didn't even deter him from wanting to get back to work. His mind was ready, but his body lagged far behind. He pushed through his physical therapy every day, the therapist acknowledging how well he was doing given the fact that he was sans pain medication, but it all fell on deaf ears. Until he was fully able to walk again unassisted, he didn't think there was anything worth celebrating.

"Honey, I'm home!" Taylor sing-songed from the front of the house. Zac shook his head and smiled in spite of himself - Taylor did this every time he came home from grocery shopping, and it was just as cute the twentieth time as it had been the first.

Using his crutches, Zac hobbled from the bedroom towards the kitchen to greet Taylor and help him put the groceries away. He knew Taylor would fight him on it, he always did, but Zac didn't like feeling helpless. It was a mild pain day for him, and he felt better than he had in a while. The least he could do was make himself useful and complete a few household chores.

"Hey babe," Zac propped his crutches against the kitchen counter so that he could attach himself to Taylor, looping his arms around his waist. When Taylor bent down to kiss him he couldn't hold back his grin.

"You should be resting," Taylor scolded him, although he made no move to remove himself from Zac's lips. 

Zac shrugged limply, his hands migrating to Taylor's neck. "Maybe, but I'd rather be doing this."

It had been just about two months since they last slept together. Two, painstakingly long months without sex when they were used to having each other every single day. Zac's hormones were reminiscent of his teenage years, becoming so intolerable that even jerking off didn't quell his desire one bit. He wasn't sure how much longer he would last with having Taylor in bed with him every night, kissing and touching but never fucking, before he internally combusted.

Zac pressed himself against Taylor, pinning him between his body and the kitchen counter. The act made Taylor whine softly against Zac's lips, to which Zac grinned smugly. Taylor spent the past few months acting innocent, like sex was the last thing on his mind, and this was the first sign he showed that maybe he wasn't fond of their current arrangement either.

"Zac," Taylor breathed as Zac's hands slid under his shirt, fingers tangling in his chest hair. His hands were loose on Zac's arms, rubbing gently, tentatively, as if he were afraid to hurt him.

"It's okay, Taylor."

"But the groceries-"

"Last thing on my mind right now," Zac replied candidly, his lips curving into a smile. "_Please_, Taylor. I miss you. Don't you miss me?" His hands were at the waistband of Taylor's jeans, unbuckling his brown leather belt, his gaze never leaving the crisp waters of Taylor's eyes.

Taylor grunted, his resolve wearing down as Zac's hand made it's way into the confines of his skinny jeans, gripping his cock tightly through the cotton fabric of his briefs. "Fuck the groceries," he relented, his voice unusually raspy and deep, sending a jolt straight down to Zac's cock.

He grinned proudly as he took Taylor's hand and led him through the house, closing them inside their bedroom. He sat at the foot of the bed and reached for the other man, pulling his jeans and briefs down in one swift motion, finishing what he'd started just moments earlier. Taylor tugged his shirt over his shoulders and tossed it across the room, shaking his head till his hair fell into place on his shoulders.

"God, you're beautiful," Zac breathed, never taking his eyes off of Taylor as he dropped to his knees and helped undress him, starting with his shirt and ending with his boxers, carefully pulling them down his thighs, trying his best to avoid the bandaged area. He could tell that Taylor was being overly cautious with him, a look of terror hiding behind his eyes. "You don't have to treat me with kid gloves, you know. I'm feeling fine."

A blush crept to Taylor's cheeks, and he planted a slow, tender kiss to Zac's lips. "I know, I'm sorry. I just don't want to hurt you, I want to make you feel good."

"So do it," Zac replied lowly, squirming in his seat on the bed at the meaning behind those words. "Make me feel good, Taylor."

Without hesitation, Taylor dipped his head and licked a hungry stripe up the length of Zac's cock, his lips wrapping around the head before Zac could even open his mouth to moan. Taylor's mouth was warm, wet, and wonderful, and when Zac's toes curled involuntarily against the carpeted floor, he knew that his body wouldn't hold out much longer.

His hands found purchase in Taylor's hair, tugging and petting at all the right times, cluing Taylor in on exactly what he liked. Taylor's hands were roaming Zac's body, from stomach to thighs, until a hand disappeared between his own legs, jerking himself off as he sucked Zac with fervor.

"Oh fuck, that's hot," Zac mumbled. His eyes moved back and forth between Taylor's mouth and his hand before slipping tightly shut. He came without warning, hot spurts of come shooting down Taylor's throat, stars flashing behind his eyelids. "S-sorry," Zac stuttered, his voice and body trembling. Before he could say more, Taylor was kissing him hard and deep, giving him a taste, easing away the sliver of embarrassment he was feeling.

"Glad to be of service," Taylor said in a joking tone as he got to his feet and reached for his discarded briefs. 

Zac watched Taylor quizzically, his lips puckered. "What exactly do you think you're doing? Get the Hell over here, Taylor Mitchell." His arms were outstretched, taking Taylor's hands and pulling him closer till he was settled between his knees. "I'm not done with you yet."

"Oh yeah?" Taylor raised an eyebrow at him, a ridiculous shit-eating grin on his face that made Zac roll his eyes. He was cute even when he was being a bastard, and Zac had a love-hate relationship with that quality.

His fingers curled around Taylor's length, feeling it pulsate in his palm, red, hot, and swollen. Zac leaned forward, licking his lips before wrapping them around just the tip of Taylor's cock. He raised his eyes to meet Taylor's, admiring his flushed cheeks and the way his tongue darted along his bottom lip.

"Zac," he whispered, pushing his hips forward to bury more of himself in Zac's willing mouth, feeling his throat grasp around him. He rubbed Zac's shoulders, his thumbs swirling along the sharp edges of his clavicle, before rounding to the back of his neck, tangling in the brown hair at the nape.

Zac moved his head up and down, tongue swirling at the slit of Taylor's cock, his hands gripping the round bulbs of his ass. Taylor was muttering his name over and over, and up until that point it was the sexiest thing that Zac had ever heard. He did all he could to keep those exact moans coming, going as far as to slip an index finger between Taylor's ass cheeks, pressing past the ring of muscle in the center.

"Oh _fuck_!" he cried out, hips thrusting once, twice, before coming hard. Zac lapped up every single drop and reached for Taylor, pulling him even closer. They both collapsed onto the bed, completely spent and satisfied, gasping for breath.

"Know what I just realized?" Zac panted in between chuckles.

"Hmm?" Taylor looked at him curiously, as if he was wondering what was so funny.

"We left the dogs out there with the groceries. Ten bucks says that they've already gnawed through the bags."

"Well shit," Taylor joined Zac in laughter.

\--

Zac sprung forward in bed, his eyes shooting open as he jolted out of a deep sleep. His leg was throbbing as if it had it's own heartbeat and a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before radiated throughout his entire body, traveling from his leg to the tips of his hair.

He felt a stirring next to him before a gentle hand settled on the small of his back, rubbing gently and soothingly in small, concentric circles. Panting and still trying to regain control of his erratic heartbeat, Zac looked over his shoulder at a concerned and a very exhausted Taylor.

"I'm fine," he whispered, running a hand through his sweat drenched hair, trying his best to reassure his lover. "Go back to sleep, babe."

In true Taylor fashion, he ignored Zac's words, frowning as he sat up, propping himself on one elbow and reaching to brush his hand through Zac's hair with the other. "The pain is that bad, huh?" he sighed, brows knitted in the center of his forehead. "I really wish you'd let me pick up your prescriptions. Clearly you need them - this is the third time this week that you've woken up in pain."

Zac shook his head vehemently, his own stupid pride getting in the way. He was a cop for Christ's sake, he could do this without drugs. Plus, what kind of boyfriend would he be to bring narcotics in the house around a recovering addict? He could manage. He_ would_ manage.

"I'm okay, I promise. I'm sorry for waking you."

Taylor rolled his eyes and turned Zac's face towards him, bumping their noses together affectionately. "Stop apologizing. I'm here for you. Whatever you need. You don't have to be so strong all the time, Zac."

All Zac could do was nod and offer Taylor a smile, despite the pit forming in the middle of his stomach. As much as his leg pained him, he knew he could never ask Taylor to put his sobriety on the line for him. The pain killers he was prescribed would be a temptation for any recovering addict, and it wasn't fair to Taylor to put him in that kind of environment. Zac would much rather deal with the torture of the pain than to do that to the person he loved.

As he settled back down onto the mattress, Taylor's arm looping around his middle, head settling on his shoulder, he tried to distract himself from the pain, to think of anything, literally _anything_ else. This practice had been successful each and every time the pain spiraled out of control in the past.

But this time, it'd stopped working.


	2. What Are Friends For?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me so long to update! Between traveling, my Dad having surgery, and starting a new position at work, I've been mentally exhausted. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

The following morning, Zac awoke in a pool of sweat. His hair was drenched and matted to his cheeks and forehead, the bed sheets clinging to him like a second layer of skin. He opened his eyes to reveal that he was alone except for Hooch who was at his bedside, snout on the edge of the mattress, gazing at him with concern. It took at least twenty seconds for his sleepy brain to connect to the rest of his body, immediately discerning the shooting pain in his thigh.

_"Fuck,"_ he snarled through gritted teeth. Why was the pain getting worse? Was he overexerting himself at physical therapy? Even worse, was it all in his head? No, the pain was too strong, too real for it to be a figment of his imagination.

He managed to pull himself up into a sitting position against the pillows, propping one of Taylor's pillows under his throbbing leg for good measure. The action helped sooth the sudden pain, if only a little. Inch by inch he peeled the sweat soaked bed sheets off his body, followed by his Tulsa PD tee-shirt, which he used to ruffle his hair away from his face before tossing it to the floor.

Hooch nudged Zac's arm with his snout, still looking at him with desperation, so Zac reached down to give a reassuring scratch behind his ears. "It's okay boy," he cooed. "Daddy's okay." At that moment, he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Hooch, or himself.

His phone buzzed and he reached for it, noting the time of eleven o'clock before his eyes fell to a text from Taylor, lovingly nicknamed in his phone as _Hipster Guy_. Of course he thought about changing it, especially now that they were in a relationship, but it was just too funny to get rid of.

**Caught wind that there is a new Gallerist in town, so I headed to work early this morning to make sure some of my photos are on display. Keep your fingers crossed for me!**

_I've got my fingers and toes crossed. I'll try to cross my eyes, too._

**You're an idiot. :)**

_Yes, but I'm YOUR idiot. Don't know what that says about you..._

Zac grinned as he pictured Taylor at the other end of the phone, reading the message and laughing aloud, the creases around his eyes becoming deeper. Zac loved Taylor's expression lines.

**I guess that means we're just two peas in a pod, huh? Oh, by the way, I gave Lisa my key so that she could come over and spend some time with you today, since I'll most likely be out late tonight. I told her to take real good care of my man.**

_How thoughtful of you! Get back to work and I'll get back to crossing my extremities._

Zac found himself pouting and his ego flaring up in his skull as he reread Taylor's message. He didn't need a caretaker, he was doing just fine getting around on his own. He'd love company, but he didn't _need help_. Other than not being able to drive, he was perfectly fine to take care of himself.

To prove it - to whom, Zac wasn't entirely sure - he tossed his phone to the side and swiveled his body, letting his feet dangle off the side of the bed. He was determined to get up and make himself breakfast, and if he felt up to it, maybe toss the ball around to Laila and Hooch in the backyard. He didn't need a babysitter.

His feet touched the floor and he stood straight, giving his legs the full weight of his body. A lightning bolt of pain shot from his thigh to his groin and he hissed. He limped toward the bathroom, mentally sending himself words of encouragement. It was enough to get him to his destination, where he could clean himself up and get ready for a day of hanging out with his best friend.

"See," he told himself, "you're doing just fine."

\---

When the doorbell rang and the dogs started barking, Zac felt himself buzzing a little. After he had time to come down from his power trip, he realized that he was more than excited to see his best friend, and was looking forward to having a fun day that distracted him from his sabbatical. 

After another knock, Zac swung the door open and came face-to-face with Lisa, dressed in sweats and a tee-shirt, her hair in braided pig tails. He grinned at her. "What's with the knocking? A little birdie told me you had a key."

Lisa leaned in to kiss Zac on the cheek before letting herself in, stepping into the foyer. "I was afraid I'd walk in on something I didn't want to see. Like you walking around naked."

Zac snorted. "I think we both know that you'd love every minute of it, Leese," he replied smugly. "Now get in here. I've made us brunch, so you'd better be hungry."

After the teasing subsided, Lisa leaned in a hugged Zac, tighter than he could remember her doing since his surgery. He didn't have enough time to wonder why before they were in the dining room, Hooch and Laila trailing at their feet. Lisa took a seat at the table at Zac's urging, plopping her purse down at her feet. 

"You didn't have to do all this for me, you know. I could have at least made my own plate..."

"Nonsense," Zac interjected, hobbling through the kitchen with two plates in his hands, full of bacon, pancakes, and eggs. He noticed Lisa's face as he struggled, a mixture of amusement and pity playing on her lips. "Trust me. I got a lot of joy out of making this meal for us. Bon appétit."

"Well thank you. It looks delicious." She looked down at her feet and then back up again, her eyebrow arched. "Can Laila have a piece of bacon? She's about to be in my lap, otherwise."

Zac laughed and offered a piece to Hooch, naturally. "Yeah, of course."

"We miss you at work, you know," Lisa blurted out as she cracked a slice of bacon in half and fed the first bit to Laila. "_I_ miss you."

Zac felt his face screw up despite his efforts to keep a neutral expression. "Soon. Another month or so, I expect."

"Taylor tells me the pain is getting worse..." her voice drifted off as if she were waiting for Zac's reaction. Zac wondered then just how often Taylor and Lisa were talking about him behind his back. "He's really concerned about you."

"I'm okay Leese, really," he replied defensively before he could convince himself not to. "I still have pain, but that's normal, wouldn't you say?"

Lisa nodded as she cut her pancake into tiny triangles, swirling them one by one in a puddle of syrup. "You're right," she shrugged a shoulder. "You did have a pretty gnarly injury. One that was strong enough to take down _the_ Zachary Hanson."

The reaction on Zac's face was immediate. He smirked at her and dusted the nonexistent dirt off his left shoulder. From then on, the conversation went back to normal and he felt relief.

After brunch they headed into the backyard for a quick game of fetch with the dogs. It was a cool, sunny day and without a doubt the ideal day to be outside. It wasn't going to last nearly long enough, much to Zac's chagrin, because the throbbing in his leg was starting to become overwhelming. He made it through brunch without issue, but the endless standing was starting to take a toll on him. He should have sat down on the patio chairs, but how does one play a proper game of fetch while sitting down?

Lisa didn't say a word even though Zac could feel her eyes on him, observing as he struggled to stand upright, his palm rubbing up and down his thigh gently, beads of sweat forming at his hairline. This didn't stop Zac from bending down to grab the tennis ball from Hooch and tossing it across the yard. When he stood up and looked over at Lisa she was smiling at him, the type of smile you give a child when they're first learning how to ride a bike. Encouraging, and full of sympathy.

"You know, when I was little, I wanted to be a professional baseball player," he told her, completely changing the tone of the air between them. "I didn't always want to be a cop. So they put me in Little League, and I was awful. A complete mess," he laughed at the memory.

Lisa joined in the laughter as well, tossing a tennis ball out to Laila. "I can't say I can picture you as a player in the MLB. Not with the way you've been tossing this ball around." 

Zac smirked and flipped her off, internally grateful for her teasing. It was times like these that reinforced their friendship. She always knew just what to say to turn a morose conversation in a different direction. 

Their afternoon went similarly, watching crappy daytime television together on the couch and severely mocking the ridiculous plots of soap operas and the judge shows that were neither real cases nor presided by real judges. Their witty remarks reminded Zac of his favorite Muppets, Waldorf and Statler, and, when pointing this out to Lisa, she claimed dibbs on Statler, the 'funnier muppet'.

Lisa glanced at her watch before stretching her arms out over her head and yawning. "I have to get going," she declared. "I'm working tonight, and I've got to get home and take a shower." She looked at Zac, who had his feet propped up on her lap. "You'll be okay, right?"

"Of course, Leese. Thanks for coming over." Zac felt a twinge in his chest of _something_ that he couldn't quite place. It could have been loneliness, or it could have been a little bit of jealousy. He swiveled his feet off of her lap and with some assistance from the arm of the couch, he hoisted himself into a standing position. "C'mere." 

Lisa smiled and walked right into Zac's outstretched arms, returning the hug. "Before I go, there's something I want to give you."

"O-okay?" Zac arched his eyebrow as he watched her dig through her purse and pull out a white paper bag that had an unmistakable rattling noise.

"I picked up your prescription for you, but before you get mad, hear me out," she said quickly, skipping over the look of surprise on Zac's face. "Taylor and I are both concerned about your level of pain. We think that you will have a more speedy recovery if you have a little pain management. Taylor knows you're concerned about his own recovery but he loves you, and I love you, and we want you to get better. So, here are your pills," she handed Zac the white bag, which he took reluctantly. "Take them when your pain is unbearable. Stow them in a secret hiding place from Taylor, if that makes you feel better. Just... please do this for us, okay?"

Zac's mouth went suddenly dry, his tongue darting out over his lips on their own accord. He glanced down at the package in his hand, letting it roll between his fingers for a few moments before raising his eyes to meet Lisa's. There was no sense in arguing, the prescription was already in his hands, and Taylor didn't need to know. He nodded slowly and offered Lisa a smile, which seemed enough of a response for her.

"Good. Take care of yourself, alright? I'll stop by again this weekend. Maybe we can go to the farmer's market? I've got to restock your fridge as I expect more delicious brunch meals from you." She offered Zac a wink and made a beeline for the door, shutting it closed behind her before Zac could respond. It was almost as if she didn't want to allow Zac time to change his mind. 


	3. Changes Are Coming

“Well  _someone’s _ chipper this morning,” Taylor laughed from his position in bed, having just woken up. He moved to sit up against the headboard, his hair messy and chaotic, his eyes sleepy and smiling. Zac couldn’t stop himself from grabbing the camera off the dresser and snapping a picture or two. Taylor was the only person on Earth who could make bed head so attractive.

“I feel good,” Zac admitted, however leaving out the reason for his newfound energy. Thanks to two painkillers, he’d had the best night of sleep since his injury nine weeks ago, and he woke up feeling nothing short of refreshed. He’d already been awake for an hour and managed to put in a load of laundry, make a pot of tea, and take a shower without waking Taylor up until just now.

Taylor shook his head and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better,” he replied sweetly, his voice still thick and laden with sleep. Zac loved the sound of Taylor’s voice after he’d just woke up.

“Me too,” Zac chimed in before climbing into the bed, slithering on top of Taylor till he was straddling his hips. When Taylor looked up at him, his blue eyes turned grey and half lidded, Zac couldn’t stop himself from leaning down and capturing his lips with his own. Morning breath be damned. It would be an absolute sin to not kiss the gorgeous man in front of him. _His_ man.

Taylor hummed a soft moan into Zac’s mouth, his hands gripping his hips, fingertips touching the soft skin of his stomach. “Don’t you have physical therapy this morning?” Taylor mumbled cautiously.

With an exaggerated huff, Zac sat back on his knees and looked at the clock on Taylor’s nightstand. “Yeah, in about an hour,” he said, his voice sounding defeated. “But... I think we have time for a quickie. What do you say? A little morning snack before we begin our day?”

Truth be told, it had been weeks since he and Taylor had actual sex, and Zac was practically gagging for it, so much so that he was not above begging. He wasn’t sure how Taylor was handling himself so easily, and he probably didn’t want to know, but he was sure his brown, pleading eyes helped seal the deal when Taylor grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into a more heated kiss.

They rolled in the bedsheets, tangled up together, Taylor showing dominance as he landed on top of Zac and pulled his boxers down just enough to expose his aching cock. There was nothing but a grin plastered against Zac’s face as he eagerly watched Taylor undress himself, his fully naked body on display in front of him. Zac licked his lips hungrily, admiring Taylor’s muscular arms and lean body, and he couldn’t stop himself from reaching up to run his fingers in Taylor’s chest hair, and down the trail of hair on his stomach.

Zac spit into his palm and lathered the mucus on his cock, Taylor repeating the same action for good measure. Taylor’s arms wrapped around Zac’s shoulders as he sunk down onto him, taking it inch by inch. His forehead was wrinkled and his bottom lip tucked between his teeth as he adjusted to Zac’s length after months of neglect and very little preparation. Zac kissed his face anywhere he could - forehead, cheeks, nose, lips - wanting to make his lover feel good, which was an innate feeling that never went away, no matter how much time had passed nor the situation they found themselves in.

Taylor moved urgently while Zac took his time, letting his hands explore Taylor’s soft, pale form. He wouldn’t let himself come until Taylor did, so he grabbed his dick with both hands, jerking him off with more intensity than he ever had. Taylor responded positively to this change, as he was trembling and barely able to hold himself up straight. His forehead fell to Zac’s, whispering, “Coming, fuck, I’m coming!” right before he did just that.

Zac followed suit thereafter, nothing on his lips but an _I love you. _Being with Taylor had made him such a softie, and he found that he didn’t mind at all.

—

An hour later, Zac found himself at his appointment. Weirdly enough, he enjoyed his physical therapy sessions. It was a way for him to get out of the house, be ambulatory, and get a work out all in the same afternoon. Working out had always been one of his favorite past times, and while he was focusing more on ‘leg day’ than anything else, he still enjoyed every minute of it. There were always a few other patients in the office with him too, some younger and even one much older, and it was nice to be in good company.

For the first time since the sessions started, he sped through them with ease. The only time he felt a twinge of pain was when he added ten more pounds of pressure to his weights, which he was not instructed to do but wanted to try since he’d been feeling more like himself lately. Luckily he had his bottle of painkillers in his gym bag, so he discretely popped a couple before following his physical therapist to the massage table.

”Have a seat, Zac,” Rebecca, his young and snarky therapist instructed. His time with Rebecca was enjoyable because her slightly egotistical attitude was reminiscent of Taylor’s when they first met. In fact, his appointments were like working out with the female version of his boyfriend, which was a weird thought but one that was also kind of amusing to Zac.

His sessions always ended with a massage, focusing on the legs and feet, to relieve any stress or tension gained from the physical therapy. He made himself comfortable as he laid back on the table and propped his feet up on a pillow. “This has gotta be my favorite part of our hour together, Beck,” he teased, knowing that in fact it was her least favorite part.

She smirked at him but let the comment slide, which was unusual behavior for her. Typically she wasn’t one to give up the opportunity for a sarcastic one-liner. “You were great today. I’ve never seen you get through the exercises so quick. I even saw you push yourself a little harder. You must be feeling better.”

Zac nodded, his eyes slipping closed as her hands moved from his thighs to his ankles. “Yeah, I’m feeling much better. But to be fully transparent with you, I caved and cashed out my prescription the other day. Admittedly, the pain has been much manageable since then.”

He watched as Rebecca glanced at him, her eyebrow hooked on her forehead. Her look was curious to him, but he didn’t know her well enough to inquire about it. Or maybe he just didn’t want to know the reason why.

”If you think you’ll need a refill, let me know. I can have the doctor put one in for you. Granted, that will be your last refill, but it’s there if you need it,” she offered. “Typically they don’t allow a refill on narcotics, but I mean, you are a local hero with a pretty gnarly injury, so you get a pass.”

She tapped his foot to signal that the massage was over with and that their time was up. Zac sat up and stretched his legs, feeling slightly awkward at Rebecca’s words. He didn’t want any special treatment. He just wanted to go back to work and get back his sense of normalcy. “Uh, thanks,” he said lightly, before getting up from the table to refill his water bottle. “See you next week at the same time?”

His confusion grew when he saw Rebecca shake her head. “I don’t think so. You did great today, Hanson, and I’m going to recommend to the doctor that he sign you off for work as soon as possible.”

Zac was elated at the news. He was finally going to get back to work, back to his old life when things made sense and he didn’t have to rely on anyone to take care of him. He immediately started making a list of things he wanted to do that required too much physicality before. Lawn work. Resurfacing his porch. Running in the dog park with Hooch and Laila.

”Thats incredible news, Beck. Thank you so much for everything.” When he went to hug her, she gave him a fist bump instead. Patient/Therapist protocols, he assumed.

Needless to say, Zac left his appointment with an extra spring in his step. He called his doctor to confirm his release back to work, and even though he didn’t feel like he needed it, the extra prescription refill. After all the pain he had been through, he’d rather be safe than sorry.

When he saw Taylor’s car round the corner he grinned brightly and waved him down, despite the fact that he was always in the same area to be picked up. Taylor was looking at him with amusement as he got into the car and tossed his crutches in the back seat. Zac stayed silent, just grinning at Taylor until he couldn’t take the silence any longer.

”WELL? What is it that’s making you grin like the Joker? Spit it out already!”

Zac laughed hard. “I’m done. Done with PT and better yet, I can go back to work next week! Beck said I did very well with my therapy today and showed incredible improvement.”

Taylor’s eyes grew wide at the news, but his face quickly turned to excitement. “Babe, that’s great! You must be so happy.” He leaned over for a quick kiss, which Zac couldn’t stop from turning into a deeper, longer kiss.

”It’s very great. And I plan on celebrating with you tonight. A naked celebration, if you will.”

”Well in that case, let’s get the Hell outta here, huh?”

Zac noticed that Taylor was doing a great job of keeping his eyes on the road, and that he was smiling to the point of a full-on cheek blush. He couldn’t help but rest his palm on his upper thigh, a small hint of what was to come once they got back to the house.

The rest of the drive was pleasantly silent until they pulled into the driveway. Zac announced his good news to the dogs before letting them outside to run in the backyard. He wanted to run with them, to chase them around the yard and play catch, but he had more pressing matters to attend to. Like a naked Taylor Mitchell in his bed. Or on the couch. Or in the shower.

Except he wasn’t in the bedroom, or the living room, or the bathroom.

Zac cased the entire house till he found Taylor in all places, the laundry room. Taylor never did laundry - he was spoiled by Zac always taking care of it for him - so why was he in there? “Sudden urge to start doing your own laundry?” Zac teased. When he didn’t get much of a response from Taylor, he poked him in the side a few times. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Taylor turned to him, his palms behind him and flat against the top of the washer. “You’re taking the pain killers, aren’t you? That’s why you’ve been doing so great so suddenly. Why couldn’t you have just told me? I’m not mad that you’re taking them.”

Zac withdrew, taking a few steps backward. There was no reason for him to question how Taylor knew. A former addict could just _tell_. There was no denying that. 

“I didn’t start taking them till a few days ago. I didn’t mean to hide it from you. I mean, not maliciously... I didn’t want you to worry.”

And that was the truth. He’d never do anything to intentionally hurt Taylor. Taylor had to know that. The omission came from a good place.

”Just. Just promise me, no more secrets, okay? I can handle this as long as we keep our lines of communication open.” His blue eyes looked sad, the wrinkles surrounding them seemingly deeper. It made Zac ache inside to think that he’d done something to hurt his love.

”I promise. And I’m sorry again. But you do notice that I’m doing better, and I _feel_ better, better than I have in months. It’s a good thing.” He took a few steps forward to close the distance between them, his body pinning Taylor’s to the washing machine.

”Explains why you jumped me this morning!” Taylor laughed, strands of hair falling in his eyes as he shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but I think _you_ were the one who jumped me this morning. To use my dick as your own personal toy,” Zac retorted, although he felt himself getting hard at the thought of their morning rendezvous. He pressed his hips into Taylor’s and kissed him soft and deep, contemplating fucking him right here on top of the washing machine. 

“You’re insatiable,” Taylor mumbled as his hands moved to pull down Zac’s sweatpants.

Insatiable? Probably. In love? Completely.


End file.
